Of Fire Lilies and Summer Roses
by RebelAngel15
Summary: Maerad wasn't the only one with the Gift at Gilman's. There was another girl with her whom Cadvan also helped escape. But she's diffrent. She is a Minor Bard of Afinil, the citadel that was destroyed many years ago, and her magic is more Elidhu than Bard.
1. Chapter 1

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I was already up by the time the iron dawn bell clang. I was gazing wistfully at the walls that imprisoned me in Gilman's Cot but I didn't let myself dream of escape. I had given up hope nearly five summers ago.

"Up already, Roisin?" I heard a voice say and I turned swiftly to see Maerad, stumbling from the slaves' quarters, her eyes rimmed with red.

"Of course," I said quietly, watching as she pumped some water and splashed it over her head. "I heard you had to play until nearly dawn."

Maerad shrugged before starting to dry herself off with her cloak. Maerad's hair was tangled and messy, black as a raven's feathers, and just pass chest length. She was sixteen summers old and to me, she was my little sister. I myself was nineteen summers old.

"Late night?" asked a sniggering voice and Maerad and I turned simultaneously to see Lothar, the thug in charge of buttery. Lothar said something else, to which Maerad answered curtly.

"Shut your muddy mouth, pea-brain. Or Roisin or I will put the evil eye on you."

Even as she finished, Maerad had started to raise her arms and I pierced Lothar with my blackest glare.

"Ward! Ward!" the coward yelled, hands crossed before his eyes. "I meant no harm, Maerad, Roisin."

"Then you'd better stop this evil gossip," I said, deadly quiet. "Get!"

As Lothar scrambled away, I looked to see Maerad smiling a grim smile.

Everybody thought that Maerad and I were witches. Maerad more than me, because of her dark hair and blue eyes. My own hair was a curly mane of orange gold that fell to my waist and my eyes were emerald green, or so Maerad told me. I wouldn't know, since there are no mirrors here.

The northerners were light haired, most of them blond or having light brown or plain brown hair. But my own hair color was uncommon and my eyes were said to unnerve people. Green is a very rare color in a sea of brown and gray eyes.

I watched Maerad worriedly as we went to the common room for breakfast. Maerad and I were the only two musicians in Gilman's Cot. I had played at the last riot so it had been Maerad's turn this time and it was obvious that she had had scarcely an hour of sleep.

Maerad had been sent to the milchyard this morning and I was sympathetic; that was Lothar's section. I was sent to the same place I had been sent to for nearly three summer; the gardens.

I was considered the best gardener in Gilman's, and the herb and vegetables I tended to yielded more fruits than any others. It was a double edged gift, seeing as that though it ensured fewer beatings, it also encouraged the witch rumors.

I kept tight lipped about my gardening and my music. I had never told anyone, not even Maerad, where I came from. But I remembered. I remembered so much of my past life; after all, I had already been nine summers old when Pellinor was sacked and I had been sold as a slave with Maerad and Milana. Maerad didn't remember anything, she had only been six.

I remember my mother. She had been a beautiful woman with the same fiery mane as me, though her eyes had been golden and her skin tanned. My father had been a Bard, from Afinil, a School and fortress that had been destroyed so long ago. His hair had been brown, though his eyes had been green, like mine.

Sometimes, it was enough to make me choke back sobs when I thought of my parents. My father had died when I was only three from old age, his life having been long even by Bard's measures. My mother had been blessed with inexplicably long life, and had only died when she had been pierced by a sword blade.

I was brought out of my musings by Xam, the thug in charge of this section.

"Roisin!" he barked and I slowly stood up, wiping the dirt from my hands. "Take this to the barns."

He shoved a bucket at me full of a specific herb I knew was meant to help the stomachs of cows. It was probable that a cow was sick. I grabbed the bucket and made my way towards the cowbyre. As I neared it, I saw Lothar stomp away from the door. He spotted me and made a beeline for me.

"What are you doing here?" he snarled. "You're supposed to be in gardens."

I held up the bucket of herbs in front of him.

"I was told to get this to the cowbyre by Xam," I said quietly, noting that he was angry. "I'm guessing one of the cows is not well."

Lothar scowled but let me go pass him. As I entered the barn, I saw Maerad. But she wasn't milking the cows; instead she was talking to two men whom were sprawled on the hay. I looked on in shock and they didn't even notice my presence until the older of the two suddenly looked up at me sharply. I'd guess he'd be around 35 years old.

"Maerad," I said clearly, and she turned to me in shock, as well as the younger of the two men, who didn't seem to be much older than me. "Who are they?"

"You can see us?" asked the young stranger, looking at me in astonishment. He had light brown hair that was overlong and I could see gray blue eyes staring at me fiercely from his face.

The older man ran a hand through his hair.

"Two of the Gift," he muttered to himself and my breath caught.

"What do you know of the Gift?" I said sharply, dropping the bucket with a clang. "Who are you?"

Now, the two of them looked at me as if their eyes would pop out of their sockets in shock. Maerad spoke up.

"This is Cadvan of the School of Lirigon," she said, signaling towards the older of the strangers. "And this is Scipio of the School of Innail."

"Now that you know our names, will you tell us yours?" Scipio said. I was looking at them unbelievingly. Lirigon? Innail? What were two Bard doings here, in Gilman's Cot of all places?

But then, I felt my tongue unloosening and spoke, almost against my will, "I'm Roisin from the School of Afinil."

I realized what had happened.

"Truthtellers," I whispered and they merely gave a short nod.

"How can you be of Afinil?" asked Cadvan. "That fortress was destroyed long ago."

"My father was of Afinil," I responded softly. "He died when I was three of exceptionally long life."

"You both can't stay here, if you're from Pellinor and Afinil," said Cadvan tiredly.

I tried to shut out his words. I couldn't be let to hope. If I hoped, I'd die from not being able to escape.

I quickly went to feed the herbs to the cow that was sick and when I returned the two men had just laid down on the hay and fallen asleep.

Maerad looked at me.

"You knew," she said, her voice cracking. "You knew about where I come from, didn't you?"

Wordlessly, I nodded. Maerad sighed deeply and rested her forehead on the flank of the cow she was milking. She was disappointed that I hadn't told her. Just then, Lothar poked his head through the door.

"Get going Roisin," he growled and I quickly made my way back to the garden.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I didn't have evening tasks today, so I decided to accompany Maerad. I saw her as she came back from activities. I joined her and we walked side by side for a moment.

"Do you believe them?" Maerad asked me quietly. "Do you think they can get us out of here?"

"I suppose," I said tiredly. "They are Bards. But how advanced they are, I have no idea."

Maerad stopped suddenly at the female quarters, where we slept. She disappeared inside and when she came out she had two things: her lyre and my satchel. I looked at her questionly as she handed me my satchel. She shrugged.

"I just have a feeling," she simply said and I put my satchel on, hidden by my thin, ratty cloak.

We entered the byre and saw the two men laying down, conversing in hushed tones. When we entered, they looked at us and smiled, though I saw Cadvan's smile fall as he looked at Maerad's legs. I followed his gaze and held in a gasp of shock. She had fresh welts on her legs from a beating and I tried to remember if I had seen Maerad do something wrong, but I couldn't remember.

They stood up and approached us. I could see a few freckles scattered around Scipio's cheeks from the close range now.

"Well, Roisin, Maerad, we've been thinking about it," Cadvan said. "This is a noisome, foul place; the animals are treated better than the people here. That is unjust enough. Do you wish to leave?"

I saw the hope flare in Maerad's blue eyes. I struggled with myself. Leaving would be so great but what if we were unsuccessful? I had once seen a man torn to pieces by Gilman's hounds, something which had made Maerad perpetually afraid of them. I didn't want to hope for escape; it would hurt too much if the hope was crushed.

"Leave this place?" asked Maerad, as if she hadn't heard anything more foolish in her life.

"Seriously."

"I've dreamed of nothing else these long years," she began, but I cut her off.

"It's impossible," I said scathingly, looking at them through narrowed eyes. "Why do you think we're still here?"

"Nothing is impossible," Scipio said, looking down at me. I was tall for a woman my age, though both Scipio and Cadvan seemed to tower over me, not to mention Maerad, who had always been average height and sometimes less than that from being starved.

Scipio kept talking.

"You could leave with us. But we are in a little dilemma and Cadvan is flying from danger into danger, making it unwise to take you with us."

I knew it. I knew that there was no hope for Maerad or me to escape. I saw the disappointment in Maerad's eyes and felt my heart reach out for her.

"But neither could we abandon you," cut in Cadvan. "If you are indeed from Pellinor and Afinil. We could come back, when we are stronger, but I have other duties that would take me months, and Scipio must accompany me. And my heart tells me…"

He fell silent and I looked at him with skepticism. I felt myself being watched and quickly turned to see Scipio's gray blue eyes looking at me. As soon as I met his eyes I dropped my own face, making me feel angry at myself for not meeting his eyes.

I had been preoccupied so when I next looked up I saw Cadvan and Scipio walking away.

"Wait!" Maerad suddenly said. "Wait."

They turned to face us.

"I'll come," she said boldly, and almost as one, all three of them turned to look at me. I looked into Maerad's crystal blue eyes, then Cadvan's deep dark blue ones and finally Scipio's gray blue ones. I sighed.

"I'll come too," I said, sounding braver than I felt.

"Is there anything you need to fetch?" Cadvan said Maerad showed him her lyre before I moved my cloak slightly to reveal my satchel. "We'll go now then."

When Maerad inquired about milking the cows and I nearly rolled my eyes. Who cared if the cows needed to be milked? We were going to be free!

Cadvan nodded at Scipio and Scipio came to stand right in front of me. He put his hands on my shoulders, making me shiver.

"_Larnea il osenna lembel Roisin inasfre_!" he said, though I understood. Turn the eyes of men from Roisin so she may walk unseen. I had had the Speech since I was seven years old.

Scipio stepped away from me and picked up a rucksack from the ground.

"I have just said," he started but I cut him off.

"Turn the eyes of men from Roisin so she may walk unseen," I said. "I've spoken the Speech since I was seven."

Scipio looked a bit surprised but then hid it. Cadvan and Scipio walked towards the wall with Maerad and me following, cautiously.

"No speaking," said Scipio. "We cannot make us unheard."

I flinched every time I saw people as we made our way through Gilman's Cot. There was one of the women that had tried to drown Maerad in the duck pond last month and several thugs were in the open squares.

We went to the part of the wall less guarded and started to climb. I wasn't very good at climbing and slipped constantly, despite the fairly easy to climb wall.

Just as I had reached the top my foot slipped and I was ready to fall when I felt two hands grasped each of my wrists. Opening my eyes, I saw Cadvan holing my right wrist while Scipio held my left wrist. Maerad was biting her lip and looking out at Gilman's Cot. They hauled me up and we started to go to the other side to climb down.

But as we did, I heard the metal bell ring thrice before it began a long, urgent peal. The signal for a servant escape. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Maerad scramble down so fast I could of missed it if I blinked.

"Now you make the pace," laughed Cadvan.

"They'll send the dogs after us!" whispered Maerad, and I could see how terrified she was. There's no escaping Gilman's hounds. They'll track a stag for a week and they can tear a grown man to pieces in a minute!"

Cadvan told her not to worry and that the only thing they had to do was reach the end of the valley by the end of today. I looked doubtfully at the end of the valley; it seemed like an awfully long way, and my legs hurt by just thinking of walking all they there.

"We'll walk then," Maerad said but there was still fear in her voice as she looked back to where the hounds were barking.

Maerad walked ahead of me with Cadvan, with Scipio and me bringing up the rear. My eyes were alert and I looked around everywhere, pausing briefly at the Landrost. The peak was red because of the setting sun.

At first, we went in silence. I kept stealing looks at Cadvan and Scipio. What if they weren't Bards? What if they were dark spirits? Because, really, what were the chances of two Bards suddenly coming to Gilman's Cot?

We had only gone about a half mile, more or less, when we heard the hounds and the hunting horn. The hunting horn sounded oddly everlasting when you knew what they were hunting. Us.

The hounds got closer and closer, along with some of Gilman's men. I could see Maerad getting more nervous as they got closer, and Cadvan saying something comforting to her. The hounds were about to leap at us when Cadvan started speaking to them in the Speech.

It was only a matter of moments before the dogs turned back to their masters. But I saw something more important. Maerad was trembling from exhaustion and looked like she would faint. She stumbled.

"Maerad!" I cried as she started to fall but Cadvan caught her elbow. He glanced at me swiftly before turning back to Maerad.

"I'm sorry to drive you, Maerad, but we cannot rest here tonight," he said. "Gilman's hounds are not danger to us, but other things are. This is an unwholesome place. And already it grows dark."

Other things? Automatically, I scanned the whole valley for signs of danger but found none. What other things?

"It's safest if we keep moving," said Scipio.

Cadvan and Maerad started talking about her past, but I didn't want to hear it. Memories were pain, a remembrance of what wasn't there anymore. My mother and father, Pellinor, Afinil…

"You're from Innail?" I asked Scipio quietly. I could feel his eyes boring into the side of my face, but I kept my eyes straight ahead.

"Yes," he said finally; his voice was melodic and had a slight accent I had never heard. "I come from a family of carpenters and am the only Bard in the family. I was sent to Innail."

I nodded.

"Innail is beautiful," I said softly. He looked at me swiftly.

"You've been there before?" he asked and I nodded.

"A long time ago," I said wistfully. I was eight summers old, a year before Pellinor was sacked and I was taken as a slave."

"So you're nineteen summers old," he said and I nodded. "What was your mother's name?"

I hesitated before answering.

"Her name was Ileana," I said. "She had unnaturally long life, even for Bards, even though she wasn't a Bard. She was pierced by a blade in the battle of Pellinor."

Scipio nodded in what seemed to be understanding.

"I outgrew my parents and siblings," he said. "My youngest and last sibling died two summers ago."

We walked in silence for a little while but I was startled completely by Cadvan suddenly starting to sing. He had a very good baritone. He sang a couple of verses before resuming his talk. I couldn't help but giggle and Scipio shot me a questioningly look.

"Does he usually break out in song?" I asked, still giggling. Scipio smiled crookedly.

"Not usually but with the company of such lovely companions, I'd be saying he feels confident."

Not expecting the compliment, I blushed and looked down awkwardly. I hadn't been looking where I was going, so it was a complete surprise when a tripped over a lump and fell down with a crash. Thankfully, my skirt hadn't been lifted. I looked up to see that the lump I had tripped over was actually an astonished looking Cadvan, sitting down.

I looked at Cadvan in shock before a deep, rumbling laughter followed by the tinkling bells of a female's laughter rang out. I looked irritably at Scipio and Maerad.

Scipio plopped down next to me and opened his mouth but I got there first.

"Not a word," I warned him and he snapped his mouth shut, though a smirk still graced his handsome features, making me scowl.

Cadvan drew out a long bottle out of his pack.

"This helps weariness," was his only explanation before drinking some. He gave it to Maerad, who drank some, and then she gave it to me. I raised it cautiously to my lips before taking a cautionary sip. It was like a fire spark had gone down my throat and into my body. I took a generous gulp before passing it to Scipio.

Maerad kept asking Cadvan more questions about Barding while I idly looked around. I saw Scipio looking fiercely at the Landrost.

"What's wrong?" I asked him and he shook his head before turning to me.

"Nothing," he murmured.

"What are you and Cadvan doing here?" I asked him and Scipio looked at me sharply.

"Business from Norloch," he said dismissively.

"Is that where we're going now?" I asked. "To Norloch?"

"Maybe," Scipio said thoughtfully. He plucked a blade of grass and twirled it in his hand.

"We should move on," said Cadvan suddenly and we all stood up before resuming our pace. My legs felt like lead and I grimaced.

The more we advanced, the more Scipio and Cadvan looked like they would collapse. Scipio's face was a mask of pain and he looked like he was walking through water, though Cadvan hid his emotions better.

"Do you think that Roisin and I might be Bards?" Maerad asked.

"Didn't you hear anything I told you?" Cadvan said shortly.

"I'm already a Bard," I said, and they all looked at me, making me shuffle my feet nervously. "Well, a Minor Bard of Afinil. I was instated when I was seven."

Cadvan sighed.

"Well that's one more load off our shoulders," he said before turning to Maerad. "Maerad, I must ask your patience. I contest the will of the spirit of this place, which would not have us leave this place. It bears down on me and Scipio, and it gets worse the farther we go."

The walking was sluggish, with Cadvan walking slowly and Scipio needing to stop every few minutes to catch his breath. As we got nearer to the end of the valley, Cadvan and Scipio got slower until even Cadvan had stopped altogether. Scipio had collapsed on the ground.

Maerad reached out to take Cadvan's hand as he fell to the ground, though she immediately dropped it, like the touch had burned her.

"What is it?" Maerad gasped.

"You can feel it?" asked Cadvan, wincing.

"Something," Maerad said. "Something terrible…"

My brow furrowed. Something horrible? Maerad took Cadvan's hand again and now all three looked to be in pain, making me feel graceless. Cadvan and Maerad slowly got up.

"Roisin," winced Cadvan, looking like he was breaking Maerad's hand in his. "Help Scipio up."

I nodded, glad to be able to do something instead of standing like an idiot, and grasped Scipio's forearm to try and pull him up. And then I felt it; it was like something cold and cruel was trying to crush my mind.

I yelped in pain, but I had miscalculated Scipio's weight and instead of hoisting him up I fell to the ground next to him. I was too painfully thin.

Cadvan was looking at me.

"You can also feel it?" he said, looking completely astonished. I merely nodded.

"Help Scipio," Cadvan said urgently. "He's much younger than me and is suffering."

I hesitated before carefully pulling Scipio back on his feet. He looked gray and slouched as he stood, nearly falling back. I stepped closer to him and wrapped an arm around his waist to support him. Sluggishly, he draped an arm over my shoulders and I held tightly with my free hand to his hand.

It was slow walking, though Cadvan and Maerad went faster than Scipio and me.

"Roisin," Cadvan gasped painfully from in front of me. "Hold it back! Command it to retreat!"

What? Command it to retreat?

I was completely bewildered, but even more so because I felt a different presence in my mind. It wasn't the cold force that was forcing itself in my mind but more like a gentle connection. Curious, I mentally prodded it.

In a moment, a blur of memories passed through my head. I could make neither head nor tail of them, though I knew they weren't mine and some stopped a second or two longer, long enough for me to make out what it was.

Cadvan's face, a city of white stone surrounded by a wall, an older woman's face, looking worriedly, me and Maerad this morning in the byre.

I realized they must be Scipio's memories and drew back quickly.

"Command it to retreat!" Cadvan yelled at me again, and he grasped my shoulder hard enough to make me wince.

I did the only thing that seemed would make sense.

_Get out of our heads!_ I yelled in my head as loud as I could. _Go away! Get!_

The pressure in my mind lessened so it didn't feel like something was about to crush my lungs.

"By the Light," Cadvan said. "That is some Gift you both have. Especially you Maerad. Now perhaps we will be able to leave."

The valley came closer and closer but I couldn't bring myself to care. All I wanted was to sleep. Scipio had finally come out of his trance and could walk fine, but we still leaned on each other, out of both exhaustion and the tiring effect of shielding our minds. Maerad even twisted her ankle at one point.

By the time we reached the end of the valley, I was half delirious with exhaustion and could only concentrate on breathing steadily and walking, half dragging, on.

"We're out!" Maerad cried when we reached the end. I smiled wanly at her.

"But still we must walk! Even in shadows, the Landrost has power."

I groaned and Cadvan shot me an annoyed glare.

"We are all tired, Roisin," Cadvan said impatiently. "But we must walk to a place I know we can rest at peacefully."

Before we started to march into the forest, I looked back at Gilman's Cot, far away. I had so many terrible memories there, and I just wanted to forget it all, like it was just a bad nightmare and I'd wake up and be nine years old again, with my mom wiping my hair from my sweaty forehead.

I sighed and steadied my grip on Scipio's waist, before turning back to the forest and starting to walk in, determinedly looking ahead and not behind.

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	2. Chapter 2

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Nothing but sheer will was keeping me going on, even as the sun broke through the sky. It was probably around an hour after sunrise when we stopped in a small grove of white barked trees. Cadvan said it was called a Irihel, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

I sat down clumsily, as did the others. Cadvan said there was a rivulet nearby that we could wash up in, but I decided that washing could wait till tomorrow; right now all I wanted to do was sleep. I lie down and within seconds fell asleep.

It was late when I woke up but nobody was awake yet. I realized that I had never been allowed to sleep so long. I got up silently and, careful not to make any noise, went to the rivulet that Cadvan had been talking about. The water was freezing cold, a fact I tried to ignore as I tried to wash most of the dirt from my hair.

I could only stand to be in the rivulet for a couple of minutes; I got cold too easily, which made living in the mountains a pain. Every winter I was sick at least a month in bed with a terrible cold.

I dressed and sat on the bank as I finger combed my waist length orange gold hair before putting it back in the long braid it was always in, trying it at the end with a black ribbon. It was too troublesome to leave my hair loose, like Maerad does.

I swiftly returned back to where everybody was but they were still asleep so I took my satchel before settling down on the bank of the rivulet comfortably. There weren't many things in my satchel.

I had one book that I read often, so as not to forget my letters, a silver brooch in the shape of a rose, which was Afinil's sign, a locket which had been my mother's and my lyre. Strangely enough, everything had at least one rose on it.

My mother's locket was beautiful; it was silver and oval shaped with a single rose inscribed on it. The picture was vivid and I could see even the thorns on the rose. The only problem with the locket was that I couldn't open it. I had never worn it at Gilman's Cot for fear that they would take it away. But now, I put it on and slipped it under the bodice of my rough dress, where it slipped between my breasts and disappeared.

The book was a book of simple fairy tales and illustrated magnificently. I remembered that when I had been young, I had wanted nothing more than to paint that beautifully. Lastly, I picked up my lyre. It was made of ebony wood and on the sides were vines artfully carved into it, with roses in some places of the vines. I ran my hand over the strings, listening to the beautiful sound it made.

I was drawn out of my thoughts by footsteps coming my way. I turned to see Scipio.

"Hello Roisin," he said, his eyes finding my open satchel and the items sprawled on the grass.

"Cadvan and I are eating supper. Would you like to join us?"

I suddenly realized just how hungry I was and nodded before gathering my things back in my satchel and following Scipio back to where Cadvan was. There were only dried fruits and meats plus a tough looking biscuit, but to me it was a feast.

"What have you brought in your satchel?" asked Cadvan curiously and I opened the satchel. I handed him the fairy tale book and his mouth quirked in a smiled before he flipped through the pages.

"I've never seen a more beautifully illustrated book," he said, making me smile. "I assume you know how t read?"

"Yes," I said. "I read it often so as not to forget my letters."

He looked at the brooch curiously.

"It was my father's," I explained quietly.

"It's a strange metal," said Cadvan, examining it. "Neither silver nor iron."

When he looked at my lyre, he looked at it in surprise.

"That's strange," said Cadvan as he examined my lyre. "It's not of Dhyllic ware, but it's similarly made."

He traced one finger over the carved roses and vines before handing it back to me. Just then, Maerad began to stir.

I greeted her warmly before I picked up my lyre and went back to the bank of the rivulet, where I felt at peace at. I was surprised when Scipio sat down next to me, but I said nothing.

"Do you know how to play?" he asked, gesturing at my lyre. I nodded before glancing at him.

"Do you play?" I said and he laughed, which surprised me; I hadn't heard him laugh till now.

"I wouldn't be a Bard if I didn't," he said wryly and I flushed, knowing it was true. "I play the harp but I prefer the flute."

He drew a long wooden flute from what appeared to be an inside pocket on his cloak. He played a few notes before beginning a song that I knew well, his fingers flying over the holes on his flute.

I took my lyre and positioned myself before beginning to play. Then, I began to sing.

_When Arkan deemed an endless cold_

_And greenwoods rotted bleak andsere_

_The moon wept high above the world_

_To see its beuty dwindling:_

_To earth fell down a single tear_

_And there stepped forth a shining girl_

_Like moonlight that through alabaster_

_Wells, its pallor kindling_

It didn't matter that Scipio was there, or that Cadvan and Maerad could probably hear, because to me, it was just the music and me.

After I finished, I looked to see Scipio looking at me with his mysterious gray blue eyes.

"You have a beautiful singing voice, even among Bards," he said quietly and I blushed. My singing was something I prided myself on because even though I wasn't as good as Maerad at playing the lyre, singing was something I excelled at.

We went back to where Cadvan and Maerad where, and Maerad told me, as if in a daze, that her harp was of Dhyllic ware. I looked in surprise at Maerad's humble harp, that didn't look much more than a peasant's lyre except for the runes.

But it explained some things, such as why it had never had to be tuned or the strings replaced. Cadvan curtly said we should go back to bed and I did, curled up in a small ball with my satchel clutched against my chest.

This time, when I woke, I was not first and surprisingly, last. It was to Cadvan's cheerful greeting that I awoke.

"Good morning," Cadvan said cheerfully, bowing to Maerad while I lay on the ground, trying to find some warmth. "The mistresses of the house must forgive our fare, which, alas, is the same as last night. But wholesome, for it is all monotony. Do my ladies wish to wash first or after they break their fast?"

I had to laugh at this and slowly got up.

Maerad said, "Later, I think. It's a better breakfast than I'm used to!"

Cadvan turned to me but I merely smiled before heading to the stream where I splashed the freezing water on my face to make the sleepiness fade away. Then I went back to join the other three and ate some breakfast.

After that, we packed our stuff and Cadvan stood in front of Maerad and me. He told us that we had to leave today and that we would be reaching a place he knew that was around sixty miles away, a week's walk. I had taken this information in vaguely, but when he said he wanted to scry us, I looked up at him sharply, horrified.

"Scry me?" asked Maerad, looking confused. "What does that mean?"

"You can't be serious Cadvan," I said angrily. "Scry us? Do you really not trust us?"

I stormed back to the rivulet as Cadvan began to explain to Maerad what scrying was.

"Cadvan asked me to scry you," said a voice and I jumped. "But I'm giving you the choice to say yes or no. I won't force you, just like we won't force Maerad."

I turned to see Scipio, his face expressionless.

"Cadvan is desperate," Scipio continued. "He doesn't know if you are dark spirits come to trick him or truly what you are."

I took steadying, deep breaths before facing him.

"Alright," I said. "But keep to the facts. Delve no deeper in my memories than necessary."

He nodded and stood right in front of me, and put his hands on my shoulders. Hesitatingly, I put my hands on his shoulders.

"Empty your mind," he said softly, making me wish he hadn't said that. Because now that I tried to clear my mind, it only seemed like more thoughts popped in it, making it jumbled.

He spoke some words in the Speech, so fast and softly I didn't catch anything except my name and the word 'mind'.

I looked deep in his gray blue eyes, mesmerized. I had never seen such a shade of eyes. They were like a stormy ocean and clear sky blended together.

But I forgot all about his eyes when the dam that I had built to stop the river of my memories, broke. And then, I saw my memories flash before me. It seemed like the memories were going backwards.

At first, I saw Gilman's Cot. The hate of the other slaves, the beatings, the small moments were I could play my lyre or read a few lines of my book. I saw the time when a group of women had tried to suffocate me in my sleep and the terror I had felt. I saw all the times Gilman's men had pawed me. But it was the last memory of Gilman's Cot that made me want to close my eyes, curl into a ball and cry. It was when one of Gilman's men, Jyrt, had raped me. I let out a small whimper, and the memory was gone.

Then, I saw me. I was in a beautiful garden and wearing a long white dress of silk that touch the ground. My hair was loose and wild, with a crown of wild flowers on my head. I looked to be six years old and was holding roses in one hand and skipping gaily though the garden. Suddenly, I stopped and ran, laughing, at a person that had suddenly appeared.

"Mamma!" the little me shouted and I saw as the most beautiful woman I had ever seen picked me up and twirled me around.

Then the memory disappeared, but many more followed. Strangely, I didn't see any of my father. My mother had always told me he had died when I had been three, but I don't actually remember him. My mom had always described him and talked about him, but I didn't remember him.

At one point, I realized I was crying. Tears were running down my face though I didn't make any sounds. I had forgotten so many of the good memories and now I remembered them all over again. And then, it stopped.

I collapsed on the ground, tears still falling down my eyes. I probably should have been happy, being able relive all the happy memories, but I had also just relieved all of my worst memories.

I was suddenly aware that Scipio's arms were around me. I pulled back slightly from his embrace to look at his face. There were conflicted emotions on his face though one stood out more than any other: regret.

"I shouldn't of have scried you," he said quietly. "It is obvious you are of Afinil."

I didn't respond, as the strangest thing just happened. There was a startled yell, and Cadvan flew into the trees, as if he had been thrown.

"Cadvan!" I said and Scipio looked absolutely shocked at the sight of Cadvan. We ran up to Cadvan and helped him up.

"What happened?" asked Scipio immediately.

"I scried Maerad," he said, wincing. "I didn't finish because she suddenly yelled and I was thrown backwards."

I ran towards where Mearad and Cadvan had been before and saw Maerad hunched on the ground, crying. I fell to my knees by her side and cradled her as if she were a small child. I noticed as Cadvan kneeled beside me and gently took Maerad from me, putting his arms around her and stroking her hair as she cried into his shoulder.

Cadvan comforted her and told her what happened while I rocked back on the balls of my feet. Though I looked at Cadvan interestingly when he said that Maerad had almost scried him.

We all bowed to the trees before leaving, shouldering our packs. I was already dreading the long walk but I didn't say anything.

"Why are there only crows in the sky?" I asked Scipio as we walked. Once again, Cadvan and Maerad we're taking the lead with Scipio and me taking up the rear. I couldn't help but feel as if Maerad and I weren't as close as we use to be in Gilman's Cot, and it made me feel sad.

"My guess is that the Landrost sent messengers out that are hunting us," said Scipio thoughtfully.

As we continued, I noticed all the beautiful little blue flowers that were all over the place. Scipio swooped down and picked one before presenting it to me.

"_Aëlorgalen_," he said and I took the flower with a small smile.

"The dawnflower," I said softly before tucking the flower behind my ear. It reminded me of when I had been small and loved to wear flowers and flower crowns in my hair.

"Is the Landrost a man?" I asked Scipio. "Because I can't really see how a mountain can order a hunt for us."

"He is not a man, but he is a person," said Scipio, which made no sense to me. If you are a person, aren't you also a man? "The mountain is his dwelling. Cadvan and I have been imprisoned there recently but we escaped. Though we saw things that the Landrost would rather not be told."

When we stopped for a midday meal, Maerad had taken off her boot. The ankle she had sprained in the valley was swelling.

"It hurts?" Cadvan said. "Let me see."

Cadvan pressed his hand against Maerad's foot and suddenly, it wasn't swollen.

"It's gone!" Maerad said in surprise. "Are you a healer as well?"

"All Bards are healers," Cadvan said simply, making me frown. I couldn't help but wonder if I tried, could I also heal someone?

As we walked on, Maerad and Cadvan began to fight. Scipio and I shared a look.

"I'm not a child," Maerad said and Cadvan sped up. Maerad walked next to me, stubbornly silent.

The break neck speed Cadvan was setting was difficult to follow

"Can we slow down, Cadvan?" Scipio asked irritably.

"We must make it to the watchtower before sunset," was all Cadvan said.

Surprisingly, Cadvan and Maerad soon forgave each other only two hours after their fight. I knew Maerad wasn't one to hold grudges, like me. Although, there were cases were I did hold grudges, such as against Gilman's Cot.

It was nearing nightfall by the time we reached a tower that seemed intact expect for its roof, which had caved in, but it was still obvious that it was a ruin. We entered the tower which was of medium size. Cadvan threw down his pack.

"We have but little time, and we must use it well, if we are to survive the night," Cadvan said. "Fire is our hope. We need wood, quickly, before it grows dark."

Cadvan and Scipio both drew long swords and began to cut at the wood. I stared at the swords in amazement; I hadn't even touched a sword since I had been nine years old. Sword fighting was one thing my mother had been amendment about, and I had started to learn since I was five with wooden swords before progressing to metal swords at eight.

Maerad and I quickly dragged the wood into the tower while Scipio and Cadvan cut a line around the hill with a dagger, chanting in the Speech.

We lit the large pile of wood and I immediately felt comforted; the fire was like a warm home away from the cold that I despise so much. I sat close to the fire, though for some reason I felt like I could sit right in the middle of the bonfire and not be burned.

Cadvan, Scipio and Maerad were standing next to the walls and I wondered why; the fire wasn't that hot.

Cadvan beckoned me over and I reluctantly left the fire's side.

"Do you know how to fight with a knife?" he asked me and I saw that Maerad had one of the roughly made knives that Gilman's men used.

"I'm much better with a sword," I admitted. A knife just never felt…enough. Like it would fail you much quicker than a sword would. Cadvan looked surprised and I told him about my sword lessons.

"I believe that Scipio would let you use his second sword," Cadvan said, looking at me first then at Scipio. Scipio nodded before drawing another sword. It was a short sword, and not very well made, but I was pretty sure I could use it.

The sun set and we began to hear the wolfwers. Their howls sent chills up my spine and my heart beat faster. When Cadvan suggested sleep, I merely shrugged and went to lie down next to the fire.

"Isn't that a bit close?" asked Scipio from his place at the opposite wall, a bead of seat on his left temple.

"No," I said. "The fire is warm and I' am cold."

Sometimes, a flame came near me and I'd outstretch my hand to touch it. It didn't burn me, just tickle, though my fingers began to blacken with soot. I closed my eyes and must have fallen asleep because I was woken abruptly by the sound of high, thin howl. It almost sounded like a human wail.

"The wer leader is making a counterspell," said Cadvan. "We're unlucky. It's rare for a wer to know sorceries."

I sighed and sat back down next to the fire, my knees up against me chest with my arms circled around my legs.

When Cadvan said to send our minds out into the night, I gazed at him curious. I imagined myself inside my mind and pushing at my mind as hard as I could, shattering through my head and out in the dark night. I could hear everything outside, but I didn't like what I heard. It was as if there were giant bats outside, breathing coldly.

I put my head between my knees and concentrated as hard as I could on controlling my fear, taking no notice of the conversation around me. It was harder than I thought, and resorted to remembering times with my mother. Walking in a forest, picking wild flowers, singing, reading, planting…I had done so many things with my mother and tears prickled at my green eyes as an image of her dying came to me. But I shoved that into the deepest corner of my mind before concentrating once again on the happy memories.

"Roisin!" I heard Scipio yell and I leaped up immediately as I heard the flapping of wings closer than ever.

"How many wers are there?" I asked Scipio.

"Around thirty," he answered grimly. I readied my grip on my small sword and suddenly, a figure with bat like wings dropped into the tower from above. Cadvan leaped at it and chopped off its head lightning fast.

Then the tower was thick with claws and wings. I stuck close to Scipio and slashed right and left. I wasn't as good with a sword from the lack of practice for the last ten years, but I was slowly regaining the feel of it as I fought. Sometimes, in Gilman's Cot, I had practiced my sword movements with an imaginary sword and I kept that in mind as feinted and slashed.

The wers were now few, and a last one landed in front of me. It slashed at me and I felt as its claw left a horizontal gash on my cheek, under my eye. I stumbled and managed a sloppy slash at the creature and it screamed horribly. But it was too late. I was falling, falling, falling…

"Roisin!" Scipio yelled and I saw as he tried to reach me. But I fell, right in the middle of the bonfire. I had been ready to be roasted alive and painfully, but I felt nothing. In fact, I felt comfortable there, with the flames licking up to me. The only real discomfort were the branches underneath me.

I stayed there for a couple of moments. I felt like someone had wrapped a blanket around me or as if my mother was cradling me in her arms. I could see Scipio, Cadvan and Maerad looking stricken at the fire but I knew they couldn't see me, because their eyes weren't trained on me.

I decided to stand up and I did. Then, carefully so as not to fall, I walked out of the bonfire and onto the blood covered floor. All three looked at me, so surprised that I was wondering if they were okay. But it was Scipio who reacted first. He stepped up to me and wrapped his arms around me in a bone crushing hug and I was surprised to see tears shining in Maerad's eyes.

"How are you alive?" Cadvan said hoarsely and we all turned to look at him. "Not only how did you survive being in the fire for several minutes but how do you not have a scratch on you?"

I looked at my soot covered fingers. My fingers were long and bony, with my nails chipped and blackened.

"I don't know," I frowned. "I really don't know."

I saw Scipio and Cadvan exchange a look but I couldn't bring myself to care; all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep.

We dragged the corpses outside and the topic of the fire and me wasn't brought up again. We all sat down in the doorway when we finished and though I tried my hardest to stay awake, I couldn't. Slowly, my eyes closed and I leaned my head against somebody's shoulder, I couldn't tell whose. The last thing I heard before falling asleep was Cadvan saying, "Well, we made it."

"C'mon Roisin," I heard a voice say. "Wake up."

I groggily opened one green eye to see Scipio's gray blue eyes looking down at me. I realized with a sudden hot embarrassment that it was his shoulder that I had fallen asleep on.

We kept walking and I realized with a sudden viciousness that I never thought I'd be able to hate walking so much. But to tell the truth, I didn't particularly fancy a horse either. When I had been younger, it had taken several lessons for me to ride a horse, but ever since the only horse in Gilman's Cot had kicked me, resulting in a broken leg, I had refused to go near one.

We finally stopped three hours after sunrise, near a stream. When Cadvan announced that we were safe from the Landrost, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

I washed up as best as I could in the stream, dipping my hands, face and even my long braid into the water, which ran black from ash and red from blood for a second before it disappeared with the rush of the stream.

As we ate, the topic of conversation came to what we wished we could eat instead of the rough traveling food.

"Mushrooms!" Cadvan said suddenly, with the giddiness of a ten year old boy. "Slow fried in butter. I can almost smell them!"

I wrinkled my nose. Mushrooms were something I refused to eat, ever since a small child. I didn't like fungus, though mom had always said my father had been fond of mushrooms.

Scipio offered me a bottle full of a clear liquid that had a golden tint to it.

"Medhyl," he said to my questioningly look. I drank a couple of sips before handing it back to Scipio, some of my tiredness fading.

As we began to walk again, dark clouds covered the sky and lightning began to flash through the sky. Scipio pointed out a scarcely visible hole above a ridge, about twenty feet above. Cadvan nodded in approval and we all scrabbled up to it. I made sure not to look down; I was terrified of heights.

After Cadvan and checked the cave and deemed it safe, we went inside. There were bones on one side of the cave and the thought that something not only lived here, but something carnivorous, was not a comforting thought. A clap of thunder resounded through the sky and rain began to fall hard and furiously.

Surprisingly, Maerad volunteered to keep watch and even more surprisingly, Cadvan agreed. I went into a little crevice in a corner and curled up as tightly as I could to try to gain some warmth, as my thin cloak wasn't of any use and Cadvan only had one blanket, which no matter Maerad's protests, I forced her to use. She wasn't getting sick on my account.

I had trouble sleeping. I remembered the fight with the wers and I felt so…cold. I couldn't bring myself to feel bad about their deaths, making me feel inhuman and cruel.

At last, I fell into a troubled sleep, where claws and bat wings assaulted me and in the middle of it all was the largest bonfire I had ever seen. In the middle of the bonfire stood a woman. Her long orange gold hair reached her knees and was curly, and her dress made of orange, gold and red. She turned her golden eyes to me and I gulped. She was my mother.

My mother opened her mouth and said in a whisper, "Where are you Roisin? Help me find you."

I wanted to responded but the words were stuck in my throat. I tried to get closer to her but I couldn't move. All I could do was stare helplessly as my mother beckoned me and danced with the flames.

I was woken up by something wet sniffing me. My eyes flew open and I saw a mountain lion leaning over me and sniffing me. I was frozen and I tried my hardest to stop the racing of my heart. Animals could smell fear.

After awhile, the beast retreated and went back to where Cadvan was and spoke to him, saying I wouldn't make much of a meal and that we could rest assured that he wouldn't eat us.

"Well done," whispered a voice and I emitted a squeak before turning to see Scipio, amusement clear in his gray blue eyes. His brown hair was ruffled from sleep. "You didn't so much as scream when you opened your eyes to see a mountain lion sniffing you."

But our attention was diverted as Maerad and Cadvan began bickering again, this time about speaking to beasts and how Maerad thought this to be 'witchspeak'.

"Let's look at that wer scratch on your cheek while those two sort out their problems," Scipio said with a roll of his eyes at Maerad and Cadvan.

Scipio traced the cut with his fingers and I took the chance to examine him. His brown hair was almost chin length and he had a fine cheek bone structure. His skin seemed to be sun kissed, which suggested many days out in the sun, though I also suspected a fine layer of dirt covering his skin. His eyes were that gray blue that made you think of a thunderstorm and he had long lashes. He was, without doubt, handsome. It wasn't a matter of opinion, but a fact. No doubt he had a lover in Innail.

"No poison," Scipio said before pressing his hand gently over my cut and some pain lifted. "I don't think you'll have a scar."

Then he spread some sweet smelling balm over the cut.

I fell asleep again, praying I would dream of my mother. I wanted to see her again so badly, for her to stroke back my hair and tell me everything was alright. But my sleep was dreamless, and I didn't see my mother. But I was woken rather badly.

"Come on Roisin," said a voice. "You have to wake up. Keep your eyes open!"

I didn't want to wake up…I wanted to sleep forever.

"Damn it Roisin," the voice swore and I felt myself being lifted from the floor and onto something or somebody soft. I felt as somebody wrapped a blanket or cloak over me and I realized that I was shaking.

"What's wrong with her Scipio?" I heard Cadvan say sharply.

"She won't open her eyes, her lips are blue, she's shaking and her skin is colder than death," said the person who was holding me. I think its Scipio.

"She's never been this bad before," said a fearful voice that I knew belonged to Maerad.

"What do you mean?"

"Roisin is affected by the cold in a way nobody else is affected," said Maerad. "She gets deadly colds every year but she always pulls out of them."

"Open you're eyes, Roisin," whispered a voice, but it wasn't Cadvan's, Scipio's or Maerad's. It was a female voice. "Your locket, Roisin."

I felt the sudden urge to hold my locket and moved my hand sluggishly to the chain, taking out the locket from under my dress, and holding it tightly in my hand. A warmth was emitting from the locket and slowly, I felt myself feeling everything around me. Blearily, I opened my eyes.

"Scipio?" I asked, my voice hoarse and a pair of worried gray blue eyes met mine.

"Roisin," he said with relief before calling Cadvan and Maerad.

"Roisin!" cried Maerad and she threw her arms around my neck and I could see just how scared she was for me. I turned to see Scipio scowling at me, which surprised me.

"What?" I asked him.

"You're going to give me a heart attack one day," he said. "First falling into a bonfire and being perfectly alright, and now almost freezing to death."

I smiled wanly at him and his expression softened.

"Breakfast?" Cadvan asked and I laughed before accepting the hard biscuit he handed to me. The mountain lion appeared soon and we followed him as he led us up the mountain. I wrapped Scipio's cloak tighter around me the higher we got and stuck as close to the mountain side as I could, the drop scaring me more than I could even bear.

It was tiring work to climb, and something I wasn't very good at but I kept putting one foot in front of the other. When we reached a tunnel, I hesitated. The dark looked so suffocating. I watched as the lion, Maerad and Cadvan disappeared into the tunnel.

"Roisin," said Scipio and he held out his hand. I took it and he led me into the tunnel.

We kept close to Cadvan and Maerad, for fear that we would get lost even if the tunnel went straight. I started to notice that tunnels branched from the main tunnel we were traveling in and I began to wonder who had lived here.

I don't how long we were in the tunnel. Time was impossible to tell and in my spare time I began to create in my mind the civilization that had once lived here. They must of have been very smart to have made this tunnel so straight without the whole mountain collapsing on their heads but how could they stand being underground so long, without any sunlight?

I started to notice something strange. The longer I was in the tunnel, the weaker I felt. I stopped eating. I barely drank and my sleep was haunted by nightmares. Hacking coughs shook my body and I felt frail, as if a single tap would be enough to break me. I knew the other three were worried about me and I hated myself for worrying them. I felt like I was going to die in the tunnel, in the dark, the one thing I loathed above all else, even Gilman's Cot.

When I started to see light in the distance, at first I thought I was hallucinating. Then, when it wouldn't go away, I was positive that I was dying, and that the light signaled the Gates. I turned to where I guessed Scipio was and yelped. I could _see_ Scipio. He turned and his eyes widened considerably. I wondered it if was because he could see me or if it was because I looked that bad.

I nearly ran towards what a now knew was sunlight, reaching it before even the lion. Once there, I lifted my face to the sun and let it warm me.

"Roisin," said Maerad joyfully and I looked at her with a smile of pure delight. I looked at my hands and arms to see my skin looked waxy and unhealthy, as if I were wasting away.

I hugged Maerad hard.

"Behold the beauty of Annar!" said Cadvan, gesturing at the green fields and setting sun. "I thought I would not see it again."

We bowed lowly to the lion who bowed back before walking back into the tunnel and disappearing into the darkness. Cadvan seemed so excited that it was amusing to look at him but Scipio outshone Cadvan's excitement.

"We are near Innail!" Scipio said gleefully. "My School."

"I couldn't go through that tunnel again, not if all the wers of the Landrost were after me!"

When Cadvan told her she would, I knew that maybe Maerad could, but I couldn't. I would much rather die than go through the tunnel again. We started the descent down the mountain and after ten feet I couldn't even see the tunnel, something I was glad for. I never wanted to see it again.

At one point in our descent, I slipped. I shrieked and grabbed the person nearest me, who was Maerad. We both slid down a good twenty feet down a rocky slope and landed in a tangled heap at the bottom.

As Cadvan and Scipio slipped down after us, I couldn't help but giggle from underneath Maerad and shoved her foot from my head. Cadvan helped me up before brushing himself off.

I couldn't be happier when Cadvan said we were an hour's fast walk from Innail. The night didn't bother me tonight, because it wasn't the complete darkness that the tunnel was. The sky was dark blue and stars shone, a full moon shining brightly.

The frailness left me with the tiredness I had been feeling in the tunnel, I no longer coughed and felt more alive now than I had in the days we had been in the tunnel. Slowly, my skin color changed from the waxy color it had been back to my usual pale color, which although wasn't altogether healthy looking, it was much better than the waxy yellow.

Everybody grew eager as Innail came into view, and none more than Scipio, who was practically skipping along. Maerad seemed strangely reluctant and though I couldn't see why, I didn't ask her.

We finally arrived at the tall gates and Cadvan cupped his hands and shouted in the Speech.

"Open! Open the gates!"

A man looked at us from above and he shouted to us, also in the Speech, "Open? Who are you?"

"Cadvan of Lirigon, Scipio of Innail, Roisin of Afinil and Maerad of Pellinor," Cadvan shouted and I felt sorry for Maerad, who couldn't understand anything that was being said.

"Wait," the man said simply in the Speech before disappearing. Five minutes later the shutter opened again but this time it was a different man.

"Cadvan? Is that you?" the man said, using Annaren instead of the Speech.

"The same," Cadvan said, a lightness I had never heard in his voice. "Traveling on hard roads, by dark ways, and begging for succor from the Bards of Innail, by the old lay of courtesy."

"What are you and Scipio doing in this part of the world?"

"Malgorn!" Cadvan threw his head back and shouted. "Come down and let us in!"

"And who of Pellinor and Afinil? I thought everybody from Pellinor was dead and Afinil fell more than nine centuries ago! By the Light" But wait, I'll get the gate."

"Malgorn use to be one my teachers here," Scipio told me and I nodded. The gate was flung open and a solidly built man hugged both Scipio and Cadvan before inspecting them. I was too tired to listen to their conversation until I heard my name.

"This is Roisin of Afinil and Maerad of Pellinor, our fellow travelers," Cadvan introduced. "Roisin, Maerad, this is my old friend Malgorn, a rogue and a scoundrel, and the worst card player in the Seven Kingdoms. Bu he had his good points."

Malgorn bowed first to Maerad and told her something before taking my hand. He bowed to me.

"A pleasure to meet you, Roisin of Afinil," he said. "Unfortunately, I was not alive to see the beauty of Afinil." He inspected me. "Nor you, it would seem, for your age."

We were hurried into a house which I assumed was his.

"Silvia! Silvia! We have guests!" he shouted but I shrieked as Maerad's eyes rolled into her head and she sunk to the floor in a dead faint. Cadvan and I caught her before she could hit the floor and carried her onto a chair. I fanned her face with my hand, for the sake of doing something.

A woman came in, whom I guessed was Silvia. She was beautiful, but I couldn't help but think that my mother was more beautiful. She started when she saw Maerad and hurried through a door before emerging with a bottle and some glasses.

"Drink this," she said, pouring some golden liquid into the glass. I carefully took it, relishing the feel of the cool glass. I hadn't held a glass since I was nine. I sipped it before downing it one and she poured me another cup, which I also drank.

"I'm Silvia," the woman said and I smiled meekly at her. Then Silvia disappeared through a doorway. Maerad then woke up and Cadvan made her drink the golden liquid, which I found out was called laradhel. Scipio was sitting and sipping his own liquor.

"What have you been doing to this child, Cadvan? She's as white as a ghost! Where did you find her?" Malgorn said, inspecting Maerad before his eyes turned to me, making me feel self conscious. "And this woman doesn't look very healthy either and she's even thinner than Maerad!"

I couldn't help but feel pleased that I was referred to as a woman instead of a child, like Maerad.

"I'm not a child," Maerad said, somewhat sulkily. "I mean, I'm sixteen summers old!" Then she blushed and looked down, making me grin. I'm pretty positive she felt alright now.

"She's certainly not a child," Cadvan said with a grin. "She faced thirty wers with only a stick in her hand. But I can't blame her for fainting when she met _you_!" I giggled a bit at this as Scipio and Malgorn threw their heads back and laughed.

Silvia then came in with a tray and introduced herself to Maerad.

"Come girls, let's leave these three to their own devices," Silvia said with good humor. "We'll get you cleaned up. And some food in you! And you're both so thin, especially you Roisin dear. Has Cadvan been starving you?"

"Why is everyone blaming me?" asked Cadvan as Scipio snorted into his glass. "And where is the sympathy for my thinness?"

"Sympathy? For you?" Silvia said. "You've been eating their rations, for sure. I've never seen such sticks! Now Malgorn show these poor men to their room."

Silvia led Maerad and me out into a long hallway. Now that I thought of it, I did want a bath. A real, hot bath, not just a dip in a stream or a cold washing from the well.

"Would you like to bathe with Maerad or on your own?" Silvia asked me and I considered it.

"I think I'd like to be on my own," I said quietly. "I need to gather my thoughts."

Silvia nodded in understanding and led me into a room with a steaming bath before she disappeared with Maerad. I closed the door and looked around me.

Then, I took off my dress, which was dirty and stiff with grime and blood. I stepped into the bath and for several minutes just lay there. I took my hair out of my braid and let my waist length hair float in the water around me.

After that, I found many different soaps of different scents which I smelled. I picked one that smelt of ripe strawberries, something that I had loved when I had been a child. After washing my body and my hair I got out of the now filthy water and donned a warm robe that was set out. I found a comb and for the first time in what felt like ages, I was able to untangle every single knot in my hair.

As a child, I had loathed to brush my hair. I much preferred to let it grow wild, curly and uncontrollable, with flower and vines in it. Now, I patiently unknotted my hair until I was done, which took awhile because of my long hair.

The door opened and in stepped a little girl, who looked to be seven years old. Her hair was light brown and wavy, a little longer than chest length, but it was her eyes that startled me. They were a deep violet, with long and thick lashes framing them.

"Hello," she said. "Silvia sent me to show you your room while she helps Maerad. I'm Azalea."

"Hello Azalea, I'm Roisin," I said warmly and she took my hand and led me down the hallway and up a flight of stairs. She seemed to know her way well as she took my hand chattered away, making me smile. I had a soft spot for children.

We went through a door to a bedchamber. A fire flickered in a grate and there was a large window with a window seat and a canopy bed. My satchel lay on the bed, next to a robe somebody had picked out.

"Lady Silvia said you should wear this," Azalea said and she pointed to the robe that lay on the bed. It was pure white and had golden embroidery on the sleeves, hem and lining the part where it buttoned up in the front. Azalea skipped gaily over to the wardrobe and gave her woolen underclothes, which I quickly donned.

Then I slipped the robe on and Azalea insisted on doing up my buttons.

"You don't have to call me Lady Roisin, Azalea," I told her. "Just call me Roisin."

"But you're as pretty as a lady," Azalea said with wide eyes full of innocence and I looked down. I wasn't pretty. I was just…me.

Azalea led me to a mirror and I looked at myself. I hadn't looked in a mirror since I was nine, and at that time I hadn't cared for mirrors or looks. My golden orange hair was loose and curly, my skin glowingly pale though my cheeks were rosy from laughing with Azalea.

"Come on," Azalea said happily and she took my hand again, her own warm and trusting. "Lady Silvia has asked me to lead you to the dining room."

As they walked to the dining room, I learned some things about Azalea. She wasn't seven summers old, as I had calculated, but six summers old. She was also an orphan, as her parents had abandoned her when they found out she had the Speech, which left me seething with rage. How could anybody leave such a sweet child alone?

"Here you go," Azalea said as we reached a set of doors.

"Aren't you coming in with me?" I asked her and she cocked her head to a side, her wavy brown hair tumbling over her shoulders and violet eyes wide.

"I've already eaten supper," she told me. "I have to go to bed."

"I hope I see you tomorrow," I told her warmly. Azalea had found a place in my heart already. Azalea's violet eyes widened in delight and she nodded vigorously.

"Okay," she said before skipping off, singing a tune under her breath.

I breathed deeply before entering. All of them were already seated and they all looked up as entered. All five of them looked surprisingly at me, even Maerad whom had never seen my hair loose.

"Sorry to be late," I said uncomfortably.

"That's quite alright dear," Silvia said and she got up and led me to the seat next to Scipio's, where I sat down.

Scipio smiled at me as I sat down and I smiled back nervously. Scipio then began to load my plate generously but didn't put as much as Cadvan and he had.

"If you eat too much, you'll be sick," he told me. I started to eat and the food was simply delicious. I hadn't tasted anything so good in ten solid years of gray porridge. There was also a pale wine that ran lightly up my tongue.

Maerad tried the mushrooms and enjoyed them, though not as much as Cadvan as he heaped fifth helpings of mushrooms on his plate.

"What about you, Roisin?" asked Cadvan, looking at me from across the table. "Mushrooms?"

I wrinkled my nose, making Scipio snigger.

"If there is one food I do not like above all, it is mushrooms," I told him, silently adding in my mind _and peppers_. But I didn't want to seem like a picky and spoiled child.

After that, we settled by the fire with sweets and cherry cordial. I didn't say anything but was alert to the conversation. There was to be a Meet and Bards from all over northern Annar School were here. Apparently, some Schools were corrupt and dark goings were in Annar.

Then the conversation turned to Maerad's background and of Pellinor. Then, Silvia turned to me.

"Of Afinil?" she said softly. "How is that possible? Afinil fell more than nine centuries ago!"

I was acutely aware of everybody's eyes on me.

"My mother had unnaturally long life, though she wasn't a Bard," I said, looking into my glass of cherry cordial. "Some even said she was immortal. My mother told me my father died when I was three summers old and that he was a Bard of Afinil. But now that I think of it, it doesn't make sense. My father was an ordinary Bard with only the life length of three human lives, not nine. And I don't have any memories of him either."

I shook my head. "I was instated as a Minor Bard of Afinil in Norloch, because of my parentage."

"Well, you both have the Gift, that's obviously clear," said Malgorn and Cadvan looked up.

"And some Gifts they are!" Cadvan said and recounted the tale of the Landrost.

When Malgorn looked dubious and said if it wasn't a neat coincidence Cadvan said that he had no doubt of who we were and how he had scried Maerad and Scipio had scried me.

While they debated this, I slowly got up and put my empty glass of cordial on the table.

"I think," I said. "I will go to bed. I feel like I will pass out any minute."

They all looked at me.

"That would be a good idea," Cadvan cleared his throat. "You went through a horrible ordeal in the tunnel."

I nodded before gliding out of the room. I remembered the way back to my bedchamber and I as entered it, I put on the silky white nightgown before getting into the soft covers.

I was practically asleep before my head hit the pillow.

**That is the longest chapter that I have ever written. This is what I get for being bored one Sunday afternoon. Review! **


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